Up to seven Birmingham City Council-run swimming pools could be rebuilt and contracted out to private management in a bid to head off a £3 million a year funding shortfall.

Among those to be revamped is Stechford Cascades where a new pool will be built on the site before the existing 1962 building is demolished.

More than 1,000 people signed petitions opposing closure to the much-loved main pool which serves much of east Birmingham, including many deprived areas.

But now Lib Dem run Yardley District Committee has confirmed that residents will get a brand new pool, which can then be put out to tender.

Coun Neil Eustace (Lib Dem, Stechford and Yardley North) said: “We are delighted as this leisure centre plays a vital role in local life.

“Up to 10,000 people per week use the many facilities which will now remain on site and be improved.

“We thank the many residents who signed our petition to save the centre and all the people who backed our campaign.”

The district committee has drawn up plans based on the Harborne Baths model, where the council paid for a new pool.

With lower energy bills and repair costs, better facilities such as a gyms, saunas or coffee shops they can be run by an outside operator, under council oversight and price control, at no cost to the taxpayer.

In the case of Harborne there has been a major increase in custom since it reopened.

City council deputy leader Ian Ward (Lab, Shard End) has said that with swimming pool and leisure centre proposals coming in from the council’s ten districts he believes that a number could be rebuilt, including Sparkhill, while others could be refurbished.

He said: “We are looking at seven new builds. There is funding for Sparkhill and if that plan goes ahead it could be ready to open in 2015.”

It is not yet clear if any facilities will be closed as a result of the review.